The Devotional - A Look at the Book #625

The Devotional – A Look at the Book #624

Papa “J” May Say

Today is one that needs a kick start… no the battery is charged, sleep was good and on the surface everything is a go to submerge into the day, but there must be a hatch open somewhere!

Thoughts about Life

One of the periodicals I receive on a quarterly basis is the Evangelical Baptist Herald. It is published by the RUEBU (Russian and Ukrainian Evangelical Baptist Union). Over the years we have had met with these folks a few times. One of the most noted events was a retreat that involved several of us from church who were going to take a short missions trip to Ukraine to help a folks build a church. I will spend the next few days putting together some of the events of the training and experience of this trip. The first thing I would like to say is that several folks who went with me on the trip read this devotional including the Ukrainian pastor’s son, Alexander… so Sasha if the bus is ready (and it always is) I will be looking for a ride or two from you to help me remember names and towns as we go on this journey. Have a great day in the LORD folks, for what is a day if the LORD is not in it?

Ecclesiastes 8

Verses 8 – One day soon we will all meet the LORD, either by physical death or by the rapture of the saints at the end of the church age. Now I know that most of you covenant theologians get the hiccups when us dispensationalist talk about the translation of the saints but bare with me we do not want you to miss the bus either since it is always ready and like the bus we must be ready to move. Alexander, his friends call him Sasha would make sure we were ready to role each morning when the bus arrived, so I tie this in with the message and you will see the exclamation again and again… in other words Jesus is coming again and we are getting the bus loaded with His saints.

If we could contain our spirit then we could control life and death as Solomon says, but God has not given us that power. This is God’s call on every soul He creates. Too elderly people we are readily aware of the approaching weaknesses we have as we face the power of death. Now this is not morbid as some would like to say. The fact is at least for me… it is exciting. God has enlisted us in life, we are born into being. One day the enlistment will be over, we will not be discharged from service like some military person. We will be delivered!

Delivered from what to what? It is simple really… only if you are born again (John 3:1-16) you will experience the deliverance worthy of God’s glory. Note the last words of Ecclesiastes 8:8. “And wickedness will not deliver those who are given to it” Wow, now that is clear isn’t it. If you are righteous because you believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ the Son of God who died and rose again for your salvation you have power from God. 1 Corinthians 15:50-58, just listen for the trumpet.